Chapter 685: A Close Call
"Keep a cool head! Control the rhythm! Do not let them dictate the pace! KD, you are the key. Do not force shots. If you have an open look, be decisive. If not, move the ball more."
Rivers patted Durant on the shoulder, then turned and shouted to everyone.
"Play good defense. Focus on trapping Chen Yan. If the others are open on the perimeter, close out immediately and apply pressure. Do not lose focus!"
During the timeout, Rivers barely talked tactics.
He wanted to use his already hoarse voice to wake up Boston's young players.
The Celtics players, especially Durant, also calmed down.
Durant understood that if they wanted to win this game, he could not let Chen Yan lead him around by the nose.
For the rest of the game, no matter what provocative action Chen Yan made, Durant would not get emotional.
On the other side, Nelson's tactics were simple.
Keep passing.
Keep screening for Chen Yan.
Let him take shots.
Nelson knew that after the timeout, Boston would likely double team Chen Yan even more aggressively, which would reduce Chen Yan's efficiency when he had the ball.
Chen Yan thought the same.
So after this timeout, he planned to play without the ball for a while.
Playing off ball would not only help him find good shooting opportunities, but also disrupt Boston's defensive structure.
After the timeout, neither side made substitutions.
The original lineups remained on the floor.
In Game 5, both sides were playing very conservatively, especially with substitutions.
Both coaches were cautious and did not want to make any mistakes.
Boston possession.
Derrick Rose dribbled past half court and controlled the tempo.
They were not blindly rushing.
Right now, the Celtics were trailing, and they wanted to play steadily and score first.
Chen Yan was guarding Weaver, which did not put much pressure on him.
Weaver was only on the court because Daniels had 5 fouls and had to sit.
With Durant, Rose, and Stoudemire around, Weaver would barely get any chances to shoot. So no matter how much Weaver moved, Chen Yan did not chase him with full effort.
Chen Yan understood that these were only feints, merely a way to drain his stamina.
Rose organized from the top of the arc, and Durant used Kostic's screen to shake off Battier.
Beyond the 3 point line, Durant caught the ball and shot immediately.
Very decisive.
Battier could not keep up with this shot.
It was a very good opportunity.
However, Durant missed.
The shot was short, despite being almost open.
Durant was mainly guarding Chen Yan in this quarter, and that directly affected his performance on offense.
Al Harrington secured the rebound.
Harrington immediately chose to protect the ball, and after confirming the space around him was safe, he passed it to Curry.
All Celtics players had already retreated to their own half.
Curry isolated Rose at the top of the arc.
Chen Yan ran along the baseline toward the weak side, while Al Harrington ran to the other corner.
Curry had many options.
He could drive himself, or he could choose to pass.
Curry dribbled between his legs repeatedly, started to the right, then suddenly took a step back, popping out to the 3 point line.
He had learned this move from Chen Yan.
Chen Yan's step back was masterful, and after they became teammates, Curry often pestered Chen Yan to practice extra with him.
Curry created space, but he did not shoot.
Because Chen Yan was running toward him.
Chen Yan used a screen to shake off Durant without the ball.
Rose reacted quickly and immediately closed out to defend.
Chen Yan reacted even faster, passing the ball back to Curry without stopping.
Rose had great explosiveness, but he could not teleport.
Curry was open and shot immediately.
Completely wide open.
The basketball spun rapidly, then dropped into the net.
86 to 81.
"We got it!" Barkley shouted excitedly.
"Chen Yan's pass was perfectly timed, and Curry's shot was flawless," Kenny Smith said. "It is a 5 point lead now. Whether New York can extend it depends on these next few minutes."
"Chen Yan already has 43 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds tonight," Barkley said. "He is chasing another triple double."
Kenny nodded. "And a huge triple double at that."
Boston fell further behind, but their mentality was not as rushed as before.
Rivers timeout had taken some effect.
Durant continued to attack.
This time, he chose to isolate Battier.
Durant's handling was simple.
He dribbled with his right hand, used a rhythmic pause to drive forward 2 steps, then suddenly pulled up.
The change in rhythm, combined with his height and long arms, left Battier helpless.
Battier could only watch Durant shoot.
Durant hit the mid range jumper, and Boston successfully stopped the bleeding.
86 to 83.
New York offense.
The same play as the previous possession.
Curry had the ball, while Chen Yan ran around screens.
After 2 off ball screens, Chen Yan successfully received the ball beyond the 3 point line.
The moment he caught it, Chen Yan faked a shot, then flashed toward the paint.
Chen Yan dribbled 1 step inside the elbow area and shot a floater.
Bank shot.
In.
88 to 83.
Boston discovered that Chen Yan was even harder to guard without the ball than with the ball.
When Chen Yan had the ball, the Celtics players could quickly double team him and force him to pass.
Even the most skilled player could not consistently play 1 against many every possession.
But if Chen Yan played without the ball, things became difficult.
His movement was elusive, and his teammates constantly screened for him, helping him create comfortable receiving spaces.
Boston continued maintaining its offense.
After several passes, Durant drove and dished.
Rose got an open 3 point look at the top of the arc and hit the big jumper.
88 to 86.
New York offense.
Chen Yan again used his movement to receive the ball.
This time, he chose a super long 3 point sniper shot.
Clang!
This shot had a little too much power, hitting the rim and bouncing out.
Even so, the Boston fans broke out in a cold sweat.
Chen Yan was like a killer.
Every time he shot, the fans felt as if someone was about to die.
Boston launched a counterattack.
Durant, Stoudemire, and Rose all rushed past half court.
Stoudemire received the ball and went up for a 1 handed dunk.
88 to 88.
TD Garden erupted.
The score was tied again.
The Celtics offensive players were also the type who could explode in bursts.
One mistake, and they could unleash an offensive run.
Boston was not a team that could be defeated easily.
But now, Rivers was worried about how to defend Chen Yan.
Daniels had 5 fouls, and Durant's containment of Chen Yan during this stretch had not been good either.
Even if Durant defended well, Rivers could not keep him on Chen Yan for too long.
Durant himself was not the type of player with endless stamina.
If he spent too much energy on defense, he would not be able to perform on offense.
New York quickly inbounded.
Chen Yan's movement stretched Boston's defense, and Curry found an open shot, but his 3 point attempt missed.
Boston counterattacked.
Durant's open mid range jumper missed.
Rivers immediately signaled for Weaver to guard Chen Yan.
During this stretch, Chen Yan was playing off ball, and Durant chasing him across half court was far too draining.
New York offense.
On this possession, Chen Yan went directly to the top of the arc to receive Curry's hand off pass.
He was going to start playing 1 on 1.
Boston's wings were ready to double team at any moment.
Chen Yan dribbled between his legs repeatedly.
He intended to solve the complex situation in the simplest way.
A pull up jumper.
Chen Yan did not give Boston a chance to double team him.
After 4 consecutive dribbles at the top of the arc, he suddenly pulled up.
The defender was not Durant, so Chen Yan did not need to worry about the shot being heavily contested.
Weaver jumped, but his height was not enough.
His timing was also half a beat late, so he failed to interfere with Chen Yan.
91 to 88.
Chen Yan scored his 46th point of the game.
Knicks fans in front of their televisions were extremely excited.
Chen Yan's direct pull up from beyond the 3 point line had an explosive visual effect, delivering an impact no weaker than a powerful dunk.
"Beautiful!" Barkley said. "That is a difficult 3 pointer. Only Chen Yan dares to shoot like that when the score is this tight."
Kenny Smith said, "Chen Yan is going for 60 tonight. If he can finish with a 60 point triple double and win this pivotal game, then this will become another signature performance in his career."
Boston offense.
Stoudemire received a pass after a screen and hit a mid range jumper.
91 to 90.
Stoudemire and Durant high fived.
Durant had driven and dished to him for that shot.
Stoudemire's mid range jumper was still steady.
It was 1 of his main scoring methods, and also 1 of his killer moves.
The game remained undecided.
Every minute was a grind.
.....
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